Why do we refer to strangers, all our parents’ friends, as ‘Uncle’ or ‘Aunty’? Where did this concept come from? Surely these terms haven’t been always been used, say 50 years ago even. So what did we call our elders before?
These are just the gorafied terms for calling elders.. I presume, before these were in vogue, kids used to refer to elders as chaacha and khala (even for non-relatives).
Some of my friends still teach my kids to call them like “Imran Chaachu”… Kinda cute, huh
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif
And much more personal than a bland ‘uncle’.
all the little friends living at the flats of my cousin used to call me Uncle Wikki Bhai
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif
See my cousin called me Wikki Bhai so the kids thought that was my name..hence
Uncle Wikki Bhai
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif
they were so cute. A little army of kids getting all excited everytime I came by asking me to play with them …sigh
If you can not change it, get over it already!
[This message has been edited by waqas72 (edited February 13, 2001).]
That’s very cute Uncle Wikky.
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif
Thanks Pristine, that does explain some things.
The world is my oyster.
haha
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/biggrin.gif
i was in pakistan past summer and all my lil cousins/nieces/nephews called me AUNTY…at first i was a bit overwhelmed, but then i thought it was cute
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/pretty.gif
It’s simply a concept that comes out of respect. It’s like a “default” command in our minds.